Vietnamese pancake (bánh xèo)

Pancake is not really good translation for Bánh xèo!

I think - the word "xèo" comes from the sound when we prepare this special dish! Just my guess!

Bánh xèo is one of many Vietnamese traditional delicacies that tourists esp. from Japan, Korea, Taiwan want to try during their stay in Vietnam. 

Probably originated from Mekong Delta, I heard many good bánh xèo from this area!
But at the same time we have many variations in each area.
In north some other ingredients has been added or in central, bánh xèo is smaller, especially in Huế - bánh xèo has another name, much smaller and served with different dipping sauce!

Made from rice flour mixed with water and coconut cream sauce, the yellow comes from turmeric powder! We add  later, when it's fried, shrimp, pork, green bean, onion, bean sprouts and egg!  

We can replace shrimp, pork with clams, cuttle fish...or just mushroom for vegetarian!
I did try bánh xèo with clams, quite good! 

The most famous place, where they serve one of the best bánh xèo (at least to me!) is on Đinh Công Tráng street! Crispy, tasty but dipping sauce a bit too light!
Wrap in mustard leaf, dip in sauce! Superb!
Popular spot not only for locals but also for tourists from overseas! Very crowded in the evening!  

                           Vietnamese pancake in central style, smaller, a bowl size!   

Bánh xèo bà Mười Xiềm (literally means Mrs Muoi Xiem's pancake) relatively new restaurant chain in Sài gòn, where they serve bánh xèo as main dish. In fact this is a name of a lady in Cần Thơ, famous for her bánh xèo. She was invited to US in 2007 to demonstrate how to prepare this traditional speciality at some cultural culinary event! 

Inside the original bánh xèo stall of Bà Mười Xiềm in Cần Thơ